


Letters from the First Order

by Astrophysicschic



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Armitage Hux is a Jerk, Arranged Marriage, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Cults, F/M, Protective Kylo Ren, Secret Messages, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23769280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrophysicschic/pseuds/Astrophysicschic
Summary: As a teacher, Rey is subject to certain rules. Courting is expressly forbidden if she wants to keep her job. When this year's batch of men clamoring to win the chance to marry come to town, Rey finds herself haunted by a pair of pretty eyes. Can she resist his persistence and his beautifully written secret notes?
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 18
Kudos: 51





	1. Who Do You Think You're Talking To?

A collective groan echoed off the walls of the classroom. The brunette at the front smiled chidingly. 

“Now, class! What do we say about math?”

A few unintelligible murmurs bounced around the room. 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear that!!”

“Math is important. Math is fun!”

A sturdy-looking boy from the back broke in, “But Sister! What use is trima-gonagy to me? It’s just hard math I’ll never have to use!”

A quieter, higher voice from the front added, “My ma says math and science are pointless for us here and that girls aren’t good at it anyway.” She hung her head sadly. “I won’t ever use this either, especially when I’m chosen as a wife.”

The teacher took a deep breath as if to steady herself before she said something rash. Then she tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear and looked over her class. The students held mixed expressions of boredom, hopelessness and annoyance. Her eyes landed on the student who had spoken up in the back. “Walter, tell me again what your occupation will be once you’ve grown.”

He puffed up his chest, and his expression looked like a cat that had just caught a mouse. “A farmer, Sister Andor. Just a farmer.”

“And your family raises dairy cows and grows hay, am I correct?” Walter nodded, the grin still on his face. “Well, just-a-farmer. Trig-o-nom-etry is very important for you personally. Say when you build your house that there’s a tree close by. How would you know whether that tree needs to be cut down so it doesn’t threaten your home?”

“Guess?”

A few concealed giggles peppered the room. The corner of her mouth quirked up for a split second before she suppressed the urge to laugh. She turned to the blackboard and raised the chalk. Then she peeked over her shoulder and asked, “Is there something on your farm that you know the exact height of?”

“Yes, Sister. My horse.”

She tucked her hair again with her left hand while drawing a rough outline of a horse with the other. Then she drew a large pine tree. She turned to the class again. “Let’s say it's a sunny day and you have your tape measure.” She drew shadows next to the two objects. “Let’s say you measure both the shadow of the horse, whose height you already know, and the shadow of the tree, whose height you might be able to guess if you’re good, but personally, I wouldn’t want to take the risk of having it fall through my roof. If you use trigonometry, you can get, within a very small margin of error, the exact height of the tree in question.”

She turned to another student nearer to the front. “Peter, you’re to become a carpenter, right?” The lanky boy nodded. “How do you suppose you can find how long to make a diagonal brace for part of a wall? Without guessing? “ she added as she swung her dark hazel eyes back in Walter’s direction.

“Trigonometry, Sister?”

“Precisely!” The teacher then turned to the blonde girl in front who had spoken earlier. “Eliza, I’m sorry to tell you that your ma is very very wrong. Not only does our community need math and science to survive, but it needs it to thrive! It’s the very backbone of building up the First Order so the plagues will never come again.”

She stopped and took another steadying breath. “Ladies, never let anyone tell you that you can’t be good at something simply because of your gender. While God made man and woman different in purpose, He did not make them unequal in intellect. He has given each of us different strengths and weaknesses, and it is your job as students to improve your minds as much as possible to be a profitable servant in the FIrst Order. It’s more obvious what the boys will be using this knowledge for. But ladies, when you are caring for your children and trying to save a little money for Christmas gifts, how will you know where to make cuts in the grocery bill? You may not need trigonometry for your role in the household, but your very knowledge of it can bless your children as they are struggling and learning it. If nothing else, the study of trigonometry strengthens your problem solving skills and allows you to exercise logic in ways you may not have thought of before.” She paused, scanned the room and gave a small smile. “And with that, brothers and sisters, please copy down the following problems, and we will solve them together as we review the Pythagorean Theorem.” 

_________________________________

Rey Andor sighed loudly as she opened the door to her studio apartment. She deposited the worn textbooks she carried on the small table next to the door and stared at herself in the small mirror above it. An oval face with high cheekbones and the tiniest hint of freckles stared back, the lips somewhat downturned. The nostrils of her nose flared in anger. Of course the comment about Eliza’s mother being wrong had gotten out. What had she been thinking? You don’t criticise the Patriarch’s wife and get away with it, even if she was wrong and even if she was only the sixth wife. 

Rey spun away and growled. Since when did telling the truth get you in trouble? Her fists balled up and she marched over to her pantry, hoping to find something brown and sweet to comfort herself. She’d never gotten along with most girls and it seemed that all the games and politicking that had gone on in school hadn’t stopped just because most of her classmates had married young and borne children. Her penchant for the “masculine” school subjects and her ability to get along with the boys made her a target for the ire of her female classmates. Mostly, she never cared what they thought; she knew who she was and she was happy with herself.

The pantry yielded no treats to soothe her frustration, so she slammed the door shut, crossed the room, and flopped on her bed. A knock sounded at the door. She rolled her eyes, groaned, and noticed one of the papers hanging on her wall. The contract outlining the rules was printed on bright green paper, as if to pound into her head the way she should conduct herself at all times. She hauled herself off her brightly colored quilts, steeled her face and opened the door. 

The smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies greeted her, as did the kind smile and green eyes of Jyn, her mother. 

"Hi. I heard what happened. Figured you might need a little sugar."

Rey sighed and moved aside to let Jyn in. She was a striking woman even after years of hard work. Her once brown hair was streaked with grey, which did not diminish her still-clear skin and sparkling eyes. Jyn set the plate down at the small table and seated herself. "So I'm sure you didn't mean to insult Beth Snoke, but really, you need to be more careful about what you say. You know you're being watched more than usual."

"I didn't even say anything! Well, ok, all I said was that she was wrong for saying we don't need math and science and that girls aren't good at it anyway. I just…" She sighed and grabbed a cookie. "I can't fathom that amount of cluelessness."

Jyn sniffed. "You and I both know that there's more to us women than having babies and making dinner. And that's in line with First Order doctrine. But you also know which of the High Council argued against you continuing your education and becoming a teacher. They don't value their girls the way they should." She paused. "That doesn't leave this room."

Rey waved her off. "Yes, yes, I know all this, Mom!" 

"You have a responsibility to set the example to everyone of what a woman can be besides a wife and mother. If you fail, you fail all your students who want to be something more. I've heard some of them talking. You screw this up and they're not going to consider giving any girl any job other than washing clothes and being a seamstress.

Rey growled. "I got it, Mom. It's not enough that I follow every kriffing rule they've imposed on me that the men don't have to follow. It'd be enough to make me want to quit if I didn't want this so much." She grimaced and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I suppose that's the point. No one wants me to succeed."

Jyn reached over and patted her hand. "If no one wanted you to do well, they wouldn't have let you teach in the first place. Patriarch Snoke believed enough in you to let you try." She stood up. "Enjoy your cookies. Papá says hi."

As she began to show herself out, she paused in the doorway. "Oh and Friday night, there's a special Gathering. A few of the new prospective Elders are coming in from some of the other communities and there's going to be a dance. I know you're not allowed to dance, but you ARE allowed to come and mingle. And don't use grading as an excuse this time!"

"Seriously, Mom?"

The door shut with a chuckle. 

_________________________________________

Riding in the bed of a rickety old truck was fun when you were a kid. It was decidedly not fun when you were crowded in there with as many men as could sit down. To add insult to injury, the sun was blazing and the tires were kicking up dust and sand. All worth it for the ability to prove themselves worthy to take a wife. 

Kylo had gotten lucky and was sitting directly in the middle of the back window. He wasn't getting nearly as dirty as the other men seated near the back. Still, he hoped there would be time to freshen up before the Gathering. 

He glanced over at the only other person from his settlement to accompany him to Naboo. Armitage Hux thought he was God's gift to everyone around him. His arrogance and sense of entitlement had finally gotten him into enough trouble that he had been sent to Ahch-To to instill some humility. In Kylo’s opinion, it hadn’t worked. The man had whined and complained the entire time he was there, eventually scaring some of the other boys into doing everything for him. His initial refusal to sit in the back of the truck had earned him a spot in the very back and his pale face was grimy with sweat. At least, Kylo mused, the dust was good for something. Hux had remained silent for the whole ride. 

The truck began to slow and Kylo began to notice the trees and wooden structures that surrounded them. With a squeal, the truck stopped and the men in the back hopped down. As Kylo stood, he surveyed the part of town he could see. The buildings weren't too different from the ones he knew in other communities; they were an odd mix of old pre-Plague buildings and newer ones cobbled together from scavenged supplies. Newer roofs were made of an eclectic mix of different colored shingles and the outside walls were painted with either adobe or whatever color paint the owners could find. The large Hall stood opposite the Patriarch's residence and somehow, both of them managed to be uniform in materials and color. The Patriarch's residence was tall and classically styled with a three story tower complete with bay windows. It appeared to have been old before the Plagues, but it was well taken care of and several wings had been added to accommodate the Patriarch's families. 

Kylo noticed a curtain in one of the bay windows moving and looked up to see a few teenage girls peeking down at the men and giggling wildly. When they noticed him looking, they quickly squealed and yanked the curtains closed. He sighed. If they were any indication, the girls in Naboo seemed to be as vapid as the ones he'd encountered on trips to Hosnian Prime. 

He jumped down from the truck and approached the Hall, brushing off his clothes and stomping his feet to rid himself of the dust. It wasn't perfect, but at least he no longer looked as if he'd come in from the fields. Seeing that the other men had gone inside, he decided to follow them. 

No one was in sight as he entered. Confused, he stepped from the lobby into the large room that made up most of the Hall. Long tables sat on the wall opposite the large stage, covered in perfectly ironed white tablecloths and vases with flowers. A few serving dishes with vegetables and fruit sat here and there, interspersed with trays of simple cakes and cookies. Punch bowls next to stacks of glasses sat on each table. 

Next to one of the punch bowls was a woman with her back to the door. A pounding sound told Kylo that she was breaking up a block of ice to fill the bowls with. 

"Can I help you with that, Sister?"

The woman whirled, clearly startled to hear a man in the room with her. Her hazel eyes assessed him before answering, "No, thank you. I have it covered, as you can see." She held up what looked like a chisel and a hammer. 

Kylo nodded. "Smart! Most people just attack it with an icepick, but I see you've found a more efficient way to do it."

A small smile brightened her freckled face. "Thanks. I haven't seen you before and you look lost. Can I help you?"

"Maybe. I came with the men from the other colonies and I don't know where they went."

"I smelled a stampede of male hormones headed toward the bathrooms not too long ago. You might try there. Although," she appraised him again, "you don't look like you need that much grooming, if I may say so."

Kylo grinned. Maybe there was some hope for finding a good wife after all. As he opened his mouth to reply, a familiar voice resounded behind him, "Ah! There you are, Ren!”

The pasty man still had dust in his hair and clothes. Seeing the woman, he stopped. “You, Sister. Bring me a damp rag and a drink. I’ve been on a long journey and your facilities are inadequate.”

Kylo noticed the woman's eyes narrowing and her nostrils flared. "No. You have two hands and two perfectly good eyes, I presume, so you can go find those yourself."

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I am--"

"Not important right now because I’m under strict orders to help get this ready for the Gathering." She answered flatly. "Why don't you brethren go rest, I'm sure you must be tired"

She turned her back on Hux and went back to her work, quickly and violently cracking the ice into big chunks as if to prove a point. Kylo chuckled. Unfazed, Hux turned and stomped his way back out of the main hall, muttering obscenities under his breath. Kylo had long ago learned to tune him out, but this time it wouldn't have been hard to do anyway because he'd just noticed that the woman wasn’t wearing her hair down the way unmarried women did, but had it pulled back in three buns. His heart sank like a lead balloon. The only interesting woman he'd met so far was already taken. 

"Thank you, Sister. Perhaps I'll see you later." He called. 

She glanced sidelong at him and raised her left hand in farewell. 

He followed Hux to a side room with the other hopefuls, passing a utilitarian kitchen full of gossiping wives. While the other men talked and preened, Kylo ran through the last few minutes in his head. She was intriguing, not just because her high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes made her look slightly exotic, but also because she clearly had a brain. Not to mention that she seemed to be a good judge of character, he mused, thinking about her interaction with Hux. Suddenly, he remembered something that made hope swell in his chest like a sprout pushing its way out of the dirt. 

She hadn't been wearing a wedding ring.


	2. The girl I've heard so much about

With the prayer said, Patriarch Snoke stepped up to the podium and raised his hands for silence.

"Welcome, my brothers and sisters. Welcome to this year's Gathering. Every year we pull all of the eligible young bachelors from the Hosnian Prime, Crait, and Chandrila colonies and the surrounding farms. We put our boys from right here in Naboo in the mix and see which of them is worthy to take a bride and start a family. According to God's laws, only those who can prove themselves as good workers and providers, strong men of good moral character and obedient servants of His laws can begin courting. And with that, I know my daughters would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't end my speech there and introduce this year's fine group of men. We have quite a few this year! From the Hosnian Prime colony…"

Rey stood near the tables against the wall where she was out of the way. She was checking on the refreshments and wasn't completely paying attention. _It's not like it matters anyway,_ she thought bitterly. All her old friends were either on the stage or already married, and none of them really interested her as a husband anyway.

She glanced up to see the dark-haired young man she'd briefly talked with earlier step forward on the stage, but missed his name. He was standing quietly, intelligent eyes scanning the room. Beside him was the red-headed man. He'd cleaned up somewhat, but his clothes were still slightly dusty. He was beaming with confidence and barely contained arrogance. They stepped back as the boys she'd grown up with from Naboo stepped forward to cheers and applause. With that, Patriarch Snoke signaled for the music to start, and the eager bachelors dismounted from the stage to find dance partners. Rey chuckled to herself as she saw the redhead approach and be rejected by Bazine Netal, who despite being younger than Rey herself had been one of her loudest antagonists in school. 

While Rey served cake, the girls of the community clustered together to see who of the new boys would be brave enough to ask them to dance. Soon the hall was filled with dancing couples. Rey even spotted two of her fellow teachers, Finn and Poe, dancing with their wives Jannah and Zorii. She smiled as she remembered her childhood with Finn and Poe and how much mischief they'd gotten away with in the classroom. 

The trio had constantly been at the top of their class. That's why they usually got away with their tricks. There had been one year close to the end of their schooling where the math lesson they were about to be tested on was too hard to understand, even for them. Poe tried to persuade their teacher to give them a few extra days, but the old man was stubborn and refused to deviate from his schedule. So Rey and Finn stole the test key. Where most test thieves may have used it to cheat, the three of them hid it in Finn’s room to use it to study from. The next day when it was time to take the test, the old man became red-faced. “Turn out your pockets and roll up your sleeves!” he’d barked at the class. They tried their best to maintain an attitude of confusion along with the rest of the class and it had worked. After searching each student for signs of cheating, their teacher had postponed the test while he wrote up a new one. The extra days were enough for Rey to learn it, teach it to Finn, Poe and the other boys, and then burn the test key. 

Chuckling at the memory of smoldering symbols, Rey finished with the cake and moved over to another table to gather up the empty dishes that once held salads and casseroles. As she stacked the used serving spoons on a platter and turned to carry them into the kitchen, she spotted the young man again, this time talking to Patriarch Snoke. The Patriarch gestured in Rey's direction, and the young man looked over and met her eyes for a brief second. 

Rey continued to the kitchen and deposited the dirty dishes. Despair threatened to engulf her in tears and she gripped the sink steadying herself. Rey took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. The most difficult part of being a school teacher wasn’t preparing lessons every day or dealing with unruly students. Rey relished the daily work and loved her students. Most of them loved her back. It just seemed that the contract she had signed had so many restrictions designed to keep her apart from the community. 

Adherence to First Order teachings was mandatory, as was weekly attendance at church services. _Easy enough,_ she thought as she rinsed each platter. But then there was what she liked to call the Ten Commandments. Every rule seemed to begin with “thou shalt not.” Two of the “Commandments” were especially isolating. She was expected to be at home from eight at night until six in the morning except to attend school or community functions. School functions were, of course, mandatory, but things like Gatherings weren’t. It didn't leave her much time to socialize outside of school without being an imposition.

Most of her friends lived outside the compound walls, and without permission from the High Council, she was not allowed to leave Naboo. That left Finn and Poe, who lived in teachers' cabins like hers, but now that they were also married, it was weird to just go visit them the way she used to when they were all in school. It's not that their wives didn't enjoy her company too, but it just wasn't the same and she felt like an intruder into their new lives. 

Tears threatened to fall from Rey’s eyes as she once again considered her predicament. Had she been content with the usual positions afforded women, perhaps her life would be different. Though she knew she would not have been satisfied. 

Rey Andor would never consign herself to a life of mediocrity if she could help it. 

Finished with the rinsing, she set the dishes out to dry. Fed up with her own thoughts, she pushed through the door and went outside to clear her head.

The sun was just setting, blazing against the horizon, lighting the trees in burning reds and oranges. 

The large live oak on the side of the hall had one particular branch. Low and sturdy, it was often occupied by courting couples. Tonight it was empty. It was also conveniently pointed away from anyone peeking from the Hall. Rey sat on the ground next to the branch and leaned her head back against the giant trunk. She closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling in measured breaths. As her breathing slowed, she began to smell the scents of late fall in Naboo: harvested fields, fallen leaves, and that slight crispness in the air that hinted of winter’s impending chill. Not all the leaves had fallen here; because of the mild winters, some of the trees held their leaves until the spring. The colors on the trees that were letting go were spectacular as always. Caught up in thoughts of autumn, Rey failed to hear the sounds of someone approaching. 

“The girl I’ve heard so much about.”

Rey’s eyes shot open and she scrambled to her feet. He was leaning against her tree. His eyes danced with humor as a crooked smile brightened his face. 

“Then you have the advantage of me, Brother…?”

“Ren. Kylo Ren.” 

_Finally a name!_

She savored the name, tasting it like a spoonful of ice cream, until strangely, the last drop soured on her tongue as if the rock salt had gotten inside while churning.

Skeptically, she squinted at him. “Well, Kylo Ren. How come you’re out here when you’re supposed to be in there?" She paused and tilted her head. "You know, sweet-talking the High Council… cutting a rug with their daughters?”

“I came looking for you.”

She straightened into her usual posture. "Is there trouble with the children?"

"No…?"

“Then why me? I’m no one.”

“On the contrary. The only female teacher I’ve ever heard of is hardly no one." Kylo pushed off the branch and stepped closer. She mirrored his movement and cocked her head to the side. "Patriarch Snoke spoke very highly of you." He dropped his voice conspiratorially, "And with the way you handled Hux earlier…" He spread his hands with a shrug, "well, now I'm here."

Rey pursed her lips, nodded, and parroted under her breath, "And now you're here."

Confused, he crossed his arms and leaned forward. "So tell me, Rey Andor. Why are you hiding out here instead of dancing in there?”

Rey sighed and finally dropped her gaze as her fingers played with an invisible thread on her skirt. With a soft sigh, she answered, “It’s too hot in there. I prefer it out here.”

Kylo dragged his fingers through his hair, smiling invitingly, “Would you come back inside to dance with me?” His hand extended towards her expectantly.

Rey stared at his hand, temptation daring her to take it. She could feel the surprise blooming in her eyes. For a moment, she imagined lifting her hand to take his, wondering if it was as warm as his eyes. Would that simple touch fill the void in her heart? Or would she become a glutton for it?

Frowning against the ever present ache in her heart, she allowed reason to take control. Rey knew exactly what would happen if she accepted, and this man was not worth the risk. "I can't." She whispered, more to herself than for his benefit. Turning away, she added, "I am not allowed to dance, among other things. My teaching contract forbids it."

Looking over her shoulder she met his eyes. "In fact, I'm not even supposed to be alone with you."

"With me?" He snorted, his hands spread wide. "Outside where anyone can see us?" His brow raised mockingly, "I'm sure you misunderstood. Dancing maybe, but talking outside…" he stepped closer. "In the open, one on one…" he leaned forward, his voice a low, dark whisper. "Let your hair down... relax."

Rey’s eyebrows raised in incredulity. “Relax?" She stretched each vowel to its breaking point.

Sensing he had messed up, he replied, “Uh… yes?”

Rey fumed. "You have no _idea_ the hoops I had to jump through just to get my position. You have _no idea_ how much some people on the High Council want me to fail and will find any excuse to dismiss me! Why should I risk my livelihood and reputation just to talk to _you_? Are you really that special that I should feel honored that you deigned to grace me with your attention?" 

As she turned to stomp away, Kylo matched her steps. "Ok, ok, you're right, I'm sorry! Just… look, you're the only girl I've met so far who seems to have a brain in her head. I'm here to find a wife, and I thought maybe we could get to know each other." As Rey hesitated in her determined stride, he pressed his luck. "Come on. What do you say?"

Rey took a deep breath. His dark eyes were hopeful, almost pleading. She thought about how nice it would be to find a man who liked her for her qualities and not just because she could bear children. It would be so easy to fall into those warm brown eyes and never leave. His arms looked like he could hold her forever and chase away the persistent loneliness that threatened to overcome her resolve.

With that thought, she wrenched her eyes away from his and tartly replied, "I say that it's not worth the trouble I'd get into if I got caught. Goodnight, Brother Ren."

As she reached her door, she stole a glance back to the tree. He was still standing where she'd left him. And he was staring at her with a sad, disappointed expression.

__________________________________________

Rey awoke the next day exhausted. Her dreams had been filled with sad eyes, yelling High Councilmen and the constant feeling of regret. Luckily, it was Saturday, and that meant she was free to spend her time as she wished. During the week, she tended to sacrifice the house chores for schoolwork and grading. Her lessons were finished, so she didn’t need to worry about that. As she surveyed the studio apartment, she noted the dirty dishes stacking up in the sink and her dresses strewn over her laundry basket. Begrudgingly, she got up and pulled on her oldest work dress.

_Dishes are the worst chore ever._ Rey loved the stress relief and delicious reward she got out of cooking, but hated the mess it left behind. Besides, the extra time it took was time that her mind had to wander to the things she couldn’t have. With cooking and preparing lessons, she was so focused on the task at hand that she couldn't focus on how much this life she’d chosen was isolating her. She’d never been particularly social, but even being as studious and introverted as she was, she still needed company on occasion. 

Then there was last night.

She scrubbed at a particularly stubborn spot on a plate in frustration as she remembered envying the dancing couples. How she wanted to be asked to dance. How disappointed Kylo Ren had looked when she refused him. 

Pausing, she labored on the image of his eyes. Sad. Not angry or demanding. The men in the community were entitled, becoming furious when they didn't get what they wanted. This man was different.

Brother Ren-- _Kylo_ \-- was different.

Again, the question swirled in her head. Would it be so bad to just get to know him? If things went well, she could inform the High Council of her resignation and get married. After all, wasn’t that what she wanted? A husband to love her? Children to raise and love and teach? Her own family was very small; just her parents with no other family inside the community. 

Shaking the unhappy thoughts away, she placed the last dish in the drying rack and moved on to the pantry, peeking inside and straightening things up while making a mental inventory of her food. Her old discolored refrigerator was similarly running low on food. She would have to visit the stores today, and judging by the amount of dresses in her basket, she would need to make a run to the laundromat as well. 

Gathering up her clothes and being sure to hide her unmentionables, Rey turned to step outside. She added her grocery bags to the basket on the way out, then tied the basket to the back of her bicycle. 

The shops weren’t too far away from the school and teachers’ apartments. It was a nice upgrade from where her parents lived, near part of the compound wall furthest from the town square. The trips were long and physically taxing, especially when pulling a wagon over uneven ground. After her parents surprised her with her bike, she’d learned to balance everything on her handlebars. It was an old pre-Plague bike that had been repaired to the best of her dad's ability. It still needed regular maintenance, but she quickly learned how to deal with its many quirks. 

Coming up on the laundromat, Rey noticed a group of men walking towards the same destination. _The prospective elders_ , she noted as she spotted a flash of Hux’s red hair. She quickly parked her bike and untied the basket, hoping to get inside before the men took over all the machines. Hurrying inside, she noted that her usual spot in the back corner was open.

The men piled into the shop behind her as she opened the top and bottom washers and started sorting her laundry. Finished with that, she hung her nametag on the washers and went to the counter to buy detergent. When she turned back, she saw Hux throwing her undergarments onto the floor.

Eyes wide and nostrils flared, she marched over to her machines, “EXCUSE ME!!”

Everyone turned to stare at the angry brunette stomping over to rescue her clothes. Even Hux looked surprised to see her.

“That’s my washer. What do you think you’re doing?”

The man overcame his surprise and sneered at her. “It’s not your washer," his pale hand reached in the machine pulling another handful of clothes onto the floor. His lips pursed in a satisfied smirk, "I don't see your name on it."

Rey's eyes widened, “Look again, genius. That's my name and those are my clothes!”

Pinching a pair of faded blue underwear as if they were diseased, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "These?" Releasing them as if he'd been burned,the pair fluttered to the floor, where they were unceremoniously kicked aside. "They're filthy." He scoffed, "Don't you know how to work the machines? They require soap."

Her face burned as her hands fisted at her sides. "You have to buy the soap," she held up the bags of powder as proof. "Which is what I was doing--"

Snatching them from her grasp, he sneered. "How thoughtful!"

"You--" she shrieked, her teeth grinding as her body pulsed with anger. "How dare---" Her nails dug into her palms, her pulse hammering in her throat.

Stepping closer, his eyes nearly black daring her to speak. "How dare I _what_?" He taunted, the corner of his mouth lifting at her continued silence. "Cat got your tongue?"

His head cocked to the side, his brows raised in mock surprise. "No? I thought so." Stepping back to the washers, he pulled another pair out for inspection. "You disgust me." This time he threw them at her, the stripped number hitting her shoulder before she caught them.

Bystanders began murmuring, their whispers growing as they continued watching. For perhaps the first time since petitioning her right to teach, Rey felt the nauseous rumble of helplessness churn her gut. One wrong move and those present would not fail to report her to the High Counsel, who would not pause to strip her of her career.

"Are these really the best you can do?" Hux's voice cut through her thoughts. His sour tone filled with patronizing ire as he lifted a lump of faded grey. "No wonder you're a teacher," he spat the word onto the floor. "What man could you possibly inspire?" 

Rage burned hot on her cheeks and behind her eyes, only just keeping her tears at bay. White-hot fire charred her carefully maintained control, and she launched at the ginger irritant without a thought.

Violently, she was pulled back by a large hand at her waist. The moment she was on her feet the phantom limb vanished, only to be replaced by the rich baritone that had haunted her dreams only hours ago.

"I'll handle this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Ben Solo shrugs!!  
> Also, sorry it took me so long to update. I haven’t written much and we’re trying to get back to normal life around here. Thanks for reading!


	3. Cauliflower

Saturday morning came too early for Kylo. He hadn't been able to sleep well, but then again, he'd never had an easy time sleeping. He spent most of his morning organizing his things neatly. Order was how he liked things and how he coped with stress. He hadn't brought much. His clothes hung by purpose; his nicer shirts tucked into the back of the closet and his work shirts and pants hung where he could easily reach them in the morning. 

His few possessions sat in drawers and on the desk provided for him. Toiletries stood in straight lines on a shelf over top of a towel rack already hung with Kylo's favorite grey towels. Next to it was a washstand with a pitcher and bowl, above which hung a small mirror.

Outside, the commotion of footsteps and slamming doors gave him pause. Sticking his head into the hall, he watched the others moving to the exit, while a timid sound at his left drew his attention.

A rather mousy looking man was stuttering, “H-H-Hux?" He knocked again, "If you want to get your clothes clean and buy food, we’re all heading now.” Muffled shouting bled through the door, and Kylo shook his head, not wanting to be noticed. 

Trailing behind the others, Kylo noted the various shops mentally ticking those he would need later. Without much chatter, the group headed, unsurprisingly, to the laundromat. Each wanting to be free of their overfilled baskets and duffles, they headed inside, while Kylo hung back. His clothes were clean, neatly folded in his drawers.

As he turned, the glass door hissing shut behind him, a woman yelled from inside. Instinct took over, and he was standing amid the fray before he could think better of it.

Amidst the shouting, he pushed through the overcrowded space to see Rey confronting Hux. Her face red with mortification as the redhead held what looked like a pair of grey underwear, high for inspection. 

"No wonder you're a _teacher_." The man sneered, "What man could you possibly inspire?" Hux tossed the clothing onto a particularly dirty spot on the floor and turned back to the washer.

Kylo was aware of two things in that instant; the first was the rage that threatened to consume him and his carefully crafted facade. The second was that Rey had coiled up her muscles ready to spring at the infuriating man. Kylo hurled himself at her before she could land a hit. Snagging her around the waist, he bent to her ear and tried to ignore the way she smelled like sweet pea. “I’ll handle this,” he half-whispered, half-snarled.

Months of repressed anger surged through him. The man had been selfish, entitled and cruel since the day Kylo had first met him at Ahch-To Ranch. Most boys who had been sent there had committed a petty crime of some sort and were there to serve out community service sentences. Those boys usually just needed some attention and consistency in their lives that they weren’t getting at home. Some of those even begged to stay rather than go home once their term was up. Kylo had been among the group that came for other reasons. As he got older, his stature allowed him to protect those he felt were being bullied. Armitage Hux had been one of the bullies he’d stood up to. At Ahch-To, Kylo had never started a fight, but he had finished several. His inner code of conduct dictated that he never be the aggressor. 

Today, Kylo shot first. 

In the two strides it took Kylo to reach Hux, the smug fool had turned back around, still sneering, still expecting to see a fuming female in front of him. What he did see was a surge of black cloth before he was slammed into the machines behind him.

With a bang, Kylo's hands went around Hux's throat and began to squeeze. His face turned purple as he struggled to fight the bigger man off of him. 

"I do believe the lady was here first. Am I right?"

Hux merely gurgled. 

"Was it necessary to humiliate her in front of everyone because you failed to read the sign?"

Hux clawed at Kylo's hands, desperate for breath. He attempted a few words, but all that came out were grunts.

"Very well. But if you ever touch, threaten or even look funny at Sister Andor again, I promise I will not be so merciful."

Kylo shoved Hux backwards again, and the man fell to the floor, gasping, sputtering and coughing. When Kylo turned to check on Rey, he saw the gathered crowd all mirroring her shocked expression. Rey's hazel eyes were wide and her mouth hung open like a fish. Whispers and murmurs danced across the congested room as he stepped towards her.

"Are you all right, Sister?"

Rey gawped at him for several seconds before she came to and straightened into a more dignified posture and expression. "Nothing hurt except perhaps my pride, Brother Ren. Thank you for your assistance."

As she bent to the floor to retrieve her scattered clothes, Kylo followed her down and attempted to help. He stopped when all he saw were her undergarments. He wouldn't do her the additional embarrassment of handling those. He stood up and addressed the crowd, "All right, folks, the excitement's over. Feel free to leave."

The crowd of men turned to their tasks, placing clothes into washers and lining up for packages of detergent. In a raspy voice, Hux spoke from the floor, "You won't get away with this, Ren. The High Council will hear about this!"

Kylo ignored him. He could see Rey trembling as she emptied the basket back into the washer. He could almost hear her panicked thoughts, and he worried for her. What if this jeopardized her position? 

What had he done?

Whatever the facts, he had intervened. Hux had been the problem, surely the elders would take her side. Wouldn’t they?

Gathering the rest of her clothes, Rey studiously avoided his gaze, focusing instead on the unwashed pile before her.

"I'll stand guard, you know. Make sure _he_ doesn't try anything again."

When nearly half her laundry was loaded, Rey finally met his eyes. “You really don’t have to stay.”

Kylo shrugged. "I know." Crossing his arms, he casually leaned against the wall, crossing his ankles as he observed her. He enjoyed the inner turmoil tugging at her lips as she turned the worn, wobbling dials on each machine. More than once her mouth opened, before instantly slamming shut, as once again she avoided his eyes. It took several moments, but finally the washers started, their gentle rumble humming between them. 

“Go on.” He said, smirking as she started. “I’m sure a busy woman like you has better things to do than babysit her clothes.” Pushing from the wall, he leaned a fraction closer, his voice quiet, “Can’t have you gawking all day.” He winked, then said with all seriousness. “I already know how handsome I am."

Rey snorted, rolling her eyes, “Ha. Ha.” Rushing to the door before he could retract his offer, she called out, "Thank you!"

Kylo nodded, crossed his arms and leaned back against the machines. 

___________________________

Rey was in a daze. Her heart was pounding and she was on the verge of shaking. Confrontation always seemed to affect her that way. Just outside the grocer's, she put a hand to the wall and took a deep breath. Hux's threat to go to the High Council shook her to the core. 

There were enough men who disliked her already. If just a few could be persuaded that she'd acted in a manner unbecoming of her station, she'd be relegated to menial tasks. She’d have no choice but to live with her parents again. Not that she'd mind that, but being able to live on her own in her own space was something she loved. 

Shaking herself mentally, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Pulling her list from her pocket, she began to peruse the shelves. As she filled her basket, she idly wondered what Kylo might like. Her usual statement of gratitude was food. 

_Homemade bread is easy...but chocolate._

Rey shook her head. She couldn't be seen giving a prospective Elder a gift, even if he did do her a service. It would come too close to breaking the courting rule. How could she thank him properly? 

She'd have to think about that another time. She'd come to the selection of meat and not all of it looked appetizing. She picked up a package of sausage to look at it closer, but then noticed it was dripping brown. She dropped it in disgust. Someone chuckled behind her.

"Not to your liking, M'ija?"

She turned to see her father, Cassian, holding fresh packages of pork roast. "Papá! Did you just get in?"

"Yep. Fresh meat straight from the farms! You might like these a little better than whatever it is they still have left over from my last run. What do you need this week? I have more pork butt, I have chops, I even have some ham if you want it." 

"You know how I like my _jamón,_ Papá."

"Anything for you, M'ija. Just give me a second."

Rey returned to her thoughts. She thought back over the troublesome day. A hand waved over her eyes.

"... M'ija? _Dónde estás?_ "

" _Lo siento_ , Papá. I'm a bit distracted today."

Cassian slid the ham into her basket and started stocking the shelves. "Wouldn't have anything to do with the big crowd I saw earlier around the laundromat, would it?"

"Uuuumm… yeah. How did you know?"

"Oh, someone said something about two men fighting over a certain rather feisty schoolteacher, and I said, nah, that couldn't be anyone I know."

Rey flushed. "It's not how it sounds…"

Cassian held up a hand. "Not here. Come to dinner tomorrow night, and you can tell us then. Besides, you know your _mamá_ misses taking care of you and she'll want to cook you a big meal."

"You mean she wants to know whether any of the desperate men from last night caught my eye."

"Well? Did they?"

Rey rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek as he chuckled. " _Hasta luego_ , Papá. _Y gracias por el jamón._ "

" _Te amo_ , M'ija."

Collecting the last items off her list, Rey paid for her groceries and carried them back to her bike, where she put them into her bags hanging from both handlebars. 

She decided to walk the bike back over to the laundromat. She parked it precariously against the front window and went inside, noticing a few of the men inside looking at her with curious expressions. She ignored them as she walked back to her washer. Kylo was sitting against one of them, fervently scribbling in a small notebook.

“Don’t tell me you’re writing an apology to Hux.”

Kylo slammed the notebook shut and stood quickly. "Re---uh. I didn't know if you wanted your clothes in the dryer or to take them home to a clothesline, but I didn't know where to find you, so I left them for a bit.” Realizing he was speaking too quickly he finished lamely, ”I was about to come find you."

Pulling clothes out of her washing machine she smiled, "As long as you’re not writing him a love song.” She dropped her basket to the floor, “It is, isn’t it?"

"It’s nothing.” He said quickly, “Do you want me to help you move the clothes over or put them in your basket?"

Bending over she emptied another machine, “So you didn’t deny it’s a love song. Are you stuck on the verse or the chorus?" Closing the washer she smirked, “I’ve been known to rhyme a time or two...want help?”

"It’s not a love song.” Kylo muttered. “I am interested in these rhymes though, tell me about those.”

Flourishing her arm as if addressing the non-existent audience she proclaimed with mock severity, “Oranges don’t rhyme, I’ve used my last dime. I’m out the door, because you’re a bore.”

Kylo frowned.

She picked up her basket as she faced him with her best neutral face. With a mock curtsy, she spun on her heel and made her exit.

Attaching her basket to the back of her bike, she started off towards her apartment. A few pumps in and she felt the chain catch for a brief second and then release abruptly. The sudden momentum overbalanced her. She fell onto her elbow, just managing to catch herself, but her laundry did not fare so well. The top half tumbled into the dusty street along with her produce. 

"Rey!" 

As she pulled herself from the bike, she hissed in pain as air hit her freshly scraped elbow. 

"Are you hurt?" The bore asked, standing much closer than he should.

"I'm fine!" Embarrassed, she ignored the hand extended to her. Rey paused to assess the rest of her body for wounds before standing. 

Another voice called her name. She turned to see Poe Dameron jogging towards her, his wife Zorii trailing behind with a few bags of supplies.

"Hey, you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, my stupid chain came off again."

As Rey gathered up her laundry, Poe squinted at Kylo. "Have we met? You look familiar."

Kylo was on the ground picking up the spilled produce and paused with a head of cauliflower in his hand. "I don't think so, I came from Ahch-To Ranch. Kylo Ren."

"Poe Dameron." He offered his hand to shake, then paused and looked Kylo up and down again. "You know who you remind me of? Well… nah, forget it. You said your name was Ren?"

Kylo nodded.

"Yeah, couldn't be. Never mind."

They all stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment as Zorii finally made it over, arms heavy with groceries. Grabbing the bags with a speed borne of awkward tension, Poe cleared his throat, “Sorry about that.” Turning to the group, ”This is my wife, Zorii; Zorii, Kylo Ren.”

They nodded at each other politely. 

Ignoring the awkwardness of the gathered crowd, Rey growled as the bike chain slipped again, through her oil-blackened fingers. “Come ON!” Grinding her teeth she stood, glancing at her friends. “Well, looks like I’m walking.” 

“Can I help?” Her champion asked.

“Why?!” The question burst from Rey’s lips before she’d even registered it. “Sorry, that was rude of me.” Swallowing her panic, she tried again. “Why? I’ll be ok, I’m headed the same way as Poe and Zorii.” Turning her back towards Kylo she smiled wide and stared intensely at Zorii, “You’ll walk me home, right?”

Without missing a beat, Zorii smiled sweetly and snatched the defunct bike. “It’s no trouble at all.” Strutting, she marched onward, calling curtly over her shoulder, “Let’s go.”

Kylo looked disappointed, but he nodded solemnly. “I hope you have a better day than you have so far. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Looking over her shoulder Rey smiled dismissively, “Yeah. Thank you… again.”

Kylo stared at her retreating figure. As he turned to leave, he realized he still held a large vegetable in his hand. 

"Hey!" He called.

Rey and Poe turned to him, laundry and groceries in tow. 

"Cauliflower!" He tossed the forgotten vegetable in their direction. As Rey caught it in her basket, the corner of her mouth quirked up in amusement. She waved in gratitude.

No one spoke for a while, passing ramshackle homes and towering trees, before Rey voiced the question nagging at her mind. “So who did he remind you of anyway?” 

Scrunching his face, Poe replied, "Who-- him? Something in the posture and a bit in the face reminds me of Han Solo."

"Leia Organa's husband?"

"Yeah. Heard tell they have a son about our age, but he's probably still at their compound being groomed to take over.” Neither spoke for a minute until Poe nudged her shoulder gently, a mischievous grin on his face, “Enough about that...what was _that_ back there?”

“What was _what?_ "

Poe rounded on her, “So we’re just going to ignore Cauliflower Man?”

She threw her head back and laughed, “There’s nothing to say. It’s just cauliflower.”

Raising an eyebrow at his wife, Poe smiled, “Sure and I’m Patriarch Snoke.” Waiting for a reply that didn’t come, “I didn’t know you were so interested in produce. I find I’m rather intrigued at the moment.”

Zorii interjected cheekily, “Then it must be contagious.”

Rey sighed and walked on.

_____________________________

Hours later and she was still embarrassed.

The thought that all her forbidden items had been strewn about the laundromat in front of God and the new candidates. She was brooding. She was brooding and she knew it, but what else was a girl supposed to do when something so humiliating had happened? Shaking out one of her blouses, and she watched something small and white fly out of it. Keeping her eye on it as she pinned the shirt onto the clothesline, she bent to retrieve what looked like a letter.

It _was_ a letter… and it was from Kylo Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I made an executive decision that Cassian taught Rey Spanish and that they still kinda talk in Spanglish. I think this lines up with how many languages Rey seems to know in the movies.
> 
> For those of you who don’t hab-low es-pan-yol:  
> M'ija- a shortened and affectionate form of mi hija or “my daughter”  
> Dónde estás?- “where are you?”  
> Lo siento- “I’m sorry”  
> Hasta luego- literally “until later”  
> Y gracias por el jamón- “And thank you for the ham.”  
> Te amo- As far as I’ve learned, there are 3 ways to say I love you in Spanish. One literally means “I want you,” while another translates to “I adore you.” This one truly means “I love you.”
> 
> Also, apologies again for taking so long. I am juggling many things, not the least of which is online school for one child and homeschooling for another. Thanks go to my Beta, PhantomBove and my hubby for helping me polish this chapter. Check out her story, Impossible Key.


	4. Darkness Rises

Chapter 4- "Darkness rises…"

On Sunday morning, Rey felt an unexpected urge to dress up a little more than usual. Her wardrobe was more plain than it had been growing up, and it had always been pretty humble. 

She touched each one of the dresses in her closet, weighing them all for wear, style, and color. This one was wearing out in the elbows; that black one was too somber looking; that one was too high-necked. Nothing seemed to be quite what she wanted, not even her usual couple of church dresses. 

She paused as she considered the very last outfit in her closet. She only wore it on special occasions like her birthday or Christmas. The top was a dark red calico patterned all over with white and ivory. It had a Mandarin collar and mock clasps that made it look very traditional but for the long sleeves. She had paired it with a long, full, charcoal-colored skirt. 

As Rey put her hair up and examined herself in her small mirror, she decided on one last touch. She'd recently saved up for a silky, silvery-gray lace shawl. Unlike the rest of her wraps, it was cool and suitable for warm fall days. 

The chapel was across the street from the school, but on the opposite side of the teacher's apartments. It was a familiar walk, and she seemed to arrive before she'd even registered that she'd left. 

______________________

Inside the chapel, men and women sat separate from each other. The younger children sat with their mothers, while the teenage boys sat with their fathers. Naturally, Kylo sat with his new neighbors. He watched Hux preening and shooting arrogant glances over to the other side of the room. When he turned far enough to catch Kylo's eye, the ginger irritant sneered at him.

Kylo spotted Rey making her way over to a large gaggle of children on the women's side. Two women sat with the children, but it was clear that most of them were not related. Paige and Rose Tico ran the colony's orphanage with a firm, but loving hand. With the complicated family dynamics in the area, it was rare for an orphaned child to not be taken in by one of his or her "aunties.” Still, accidents happened, and sometimes those accidents were children who went unacknowledged because of deformity or disability. 

Rey sat near Rose, who looked relieved. She was holding a fussy baby who was on the verge of falling asleep. Three children immediately swarmed Rey as she took her seat. They seemed to know her well as the red-headed girl snuggled on one side of her and the other two boys wrestled over her other side. He noticed that she looked especially lovely today. The burgundy of her blouse made her eyes seem lighter, though it could be the adoration for the children that made them sparkle. 

She sat cuddling with them through the prayers and hymns until the Patriarch got up and began to speak. Then the children who were all old enough to understand sat up straight and tried their best not to fidget. Kylo had rarely seen kids so young sit so still. 

He soon found out why. A couple of the men sitting up front near the Patriarch stood up to the side of where he was speaking. They both held willow switches menacingly and scanned the crowd as Snoke made announcements to the congregation. 

"Now, my dear brothers and sisters, I wish to call two of our number up to stand beside me. Sisters Bazine Netal and Emilia Hass."

One woman stood up with a haughty expression and flounced her way to the podium, while the other more mousey girl was hesitant and looked around with wide eyes as if asking for help. Kylo recognized her as one of the girls who had peeked at him from the window when he arrived. Once they both stood beside Snoke, he continued. "These are fine examples of our beautiful girls who are ready for marriage to one of our future Elders. Bazine, as you can see, is very beautiful and has always been very popular with her peers and teachers. She would make someone a fine wife."

Snoke turned to the other girl and Kylo sensed a faint look of distaste cross Snoke's face before he continued as before. "Emilia is most proficient in the domestic arts. Though she may not be as comely as some, her space is always organized and she makes a decent loaf of bread. I would know, too, as she is one of my daughters. Any man who took her to wife could guarantee a clean and happy home."

Snoke paused and looked sad. "Unfortunately, both of these dear sisters are tainted. They have been unchaste."

Bazine's smug face immediately fell and Emilia looked even more scared, if such a thing was possible. She glanced at her father in fear and opened her mouth as if to protest. Silencing her with a look, Snoke continued. 

"One of these sisters was caught in an amorous embrace with someone to whom she was not married or promised. This brother has since come to me and confessed that she had tried to seduce him so as to become one of his wives. He has repented of his weakness and hopefully will exercise more wisdom in the future."

_ Impossible to tell which sister  _ that  _ was, _ Kylo thought darkly.

"The other sister was caught dancing inappropriately with one of our future Elders at the Gathering. We have conflicting testimonies as to what happened, but nevertheless, she has been defiled by such actions. Neither of these sisters is pure any longer. They must now take the punishment for their sins."

The two men standing to the side with the switches came forward. Emilia whimpered as one of the men forced her to her knees. Bazine looked up at her punisher with first surprise, then anger and betrayal. 

"20 lashes will suffice, brethren."

As the girls cried out repeatedly, Kylo surveyed the congregation. While most faces held expressions of shock and pity, some showed glee or self-righteousness. Glancing at Rey, he saw that she had adopted a mask of emotionlessness, but her hands betrayed her. She was gripping the little girl's hand tightly with one hand and patting it with the other. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hux look at him once again. The man's face was smugness personified. Looking deliberately towards the sobbing Emilia, Hux then looked back at Kylo with a malicious grin and quirked an eyebrow. Nauseated, Kylo looked back towards the podium as the beatings finished. 

Dismissing the men with a wave of his hand, Snoke continued his sermon. "It's clear that some have become complacent in their diligence to God's laws. Others seek to thwart His plans for this land and His people. God sent the plagues to humble the people of this once-great country. Its citizens were given everything and still they turned their backs on Him. It's been 40 years since the first wave of sickness and still the people refuse to repent. They continue to wax strong in iniquity. But fear not. Darkness rises and the light to meet it."

Sighing heavily, Snoke continued. "The Lord in His infinite wisdom has given me a revelation. In order for the light to shine forth again, He requires more children to be brought up in His ways. No longer can we rely on courting to create marriages."

Pausing, Snoke scanned the congregation. His eyes rested on Kylo briefly before speaking again. "From this time forth, each worthy new or unmarried Elder will have at least one wife chosen for him."

Gasps and whispering broke out across the chapel. Snoke held both his arms up for silence. "Too many of our young women are being passed over for the opportunity to bear children for various reasons, including the sin of immorality. Those who have been found pure will become wives as The Lord dictates. It is woman's greatest calling to be as Mother Eve; a faithful wife and a nurturing mother."

"'Ah, but Patriarch, what about those who are not worthy? Those who have been tainted by sin?' you might well ask. Fear not, brothers and sisters. As Hagar to Sarah, Zilpah to Leah and Bilhah to Rachel, these sisters will have a purpose as well. Though not worthy to be wives, they will nonetheless bear children and assist their mistresses in raising their children and serving their husbands. To that end, The Lord has revealed His will for these two unfortunate sisters you see here."

"Our beloved Brother Pryde has graciously accepted the will of God. His two wives are no longer able to give him children, but they desire to continue to serve the Lord and raise up righteous children to Him." Snoke turned to Emilia and offered his hand. Pulling her to a standing position, he addressed her gently. "My dear daughter, you’ve been tainted, but your heart remains pure, and for this, we will give you the gift of humility. Brother Pryde's righteousness is so great that it might cover your sins. But you must turn from your wicked thoughts and actions and cleave only unto him. Serve him and your mistresses well, bear strong children and teach them diligently and God will forgive you your trespasses."

Turning to Pryde, Snoke offered Emilia's hand to him. Pryde stood and took it, leading her away. The man behind Bazine prodded her sharply with his switch and gestured towards the door. Rising gingerly, the girl followed the couple out. 

Kylo again glanced towards Rey’s companions. The taller of the two women had covered her mouth in horror. Rey's stony face had grown paler and her eyes mirrored her friend's distress. 

Snoke turned back to the congregation and smiled gently. "I know this must all be very sudden and unsettling, but know that The Lord has a plan. Within the next month, the High Council will make an appointment with each woman of age to assess her strengths. With this knowledge, I can go to The Lord with a list of possible matches and seek His approval and guidance. The testing process for the prospective Elders will stay the same. God willing, betrothals will take place at the beginning of the Nativity Feast and weddings can begin at the New Year. May His love and blessings be upon you all as you hearken to His words and commandments."

Kylo's head spun as he walked out. This was not part of his plan. He had been hoping to find a woman who could be his equal in marriage, not be saddled with someone who was deemed the most worthy by other men. 

As he ruminated, he nearly didn't see Rey crossing directly in front of him, holding a struggling child's hand. He skidded to a stop before they could collide. 

"Brother Ren. We meet again," she quipped.

"Sister Andor, I am terribly sorry. I promise I don't make it a habit of trying to run people over."

Rey's lips quirked up on one side before schooling her features and adopting her teacher's demeanor. "See that you don't or else I may have two unruly children to discipline instead of just Temiri here." The boy peeked past her skirt and grinned mischievously. 

"I do apologize again. I'll watch better next t--"

"Ah, Sister Andor, I had hoped to catch you on your way out." 

"High Councilor Griss. What can I do for you?"

"Bad business, I'm afraid. You've been summoned before the High Council for the incident from yesterday. I've been told by reliable witnesses that you're not to blame, but the brother in question has demanded a hearing."

Kylo broke in. "A hearing? Why?"

The man turned to him, "He claims that Sister Andor attacked him. And you are…?"

"Brother Ren."

"Ah, perfect! I had hoped not to have to walk all the way over to the barracks to look for you. You have been summoned as well for the same charges." As Kylo sputtered in protest, Griss held up a hand. "Given Sister Andor's character, I am sure she is not to blame; however, I don't know you and therefore cannot comment on the situation before I have heard all the facts. Tomorrow at four pm since Sister Andor has class to teach and I do believe the Elders have exams to sit tomorrow. I look forward to hearing your story then. Good day."

Kylo noticed that Rey's face had paled again. He reached for her elbow in case he needed to catch her. "Hey." She didn't respond, but kept staring off after the High Councilor in shock. "Hey, you ok? There's really nothing to worry about. You and I both know he started it."

Rey continued staring. 

"Rey!" Her head snapped to his face as if she had forgotten he was there. "Are you going to be ok? Do I need to walk you home?"

Rey stuttered, "N-no. I'll be fine. It's not far." Seeing Kylo's sceptical face, she took a steadying breath and attempted to sound more confident. "I'll see you tomorrow. Did he say four?"

"Yes, I'll see you at four."

"Good luck on your exams tomorrow."

"Thanks."

Kylo shifted his gaze downward. "Hey kid, make sure she gets home all right."

Temiri grinned and started pulling on Rey's hand. She waved and walked away.

_________________

"M'ija? You've barely touched your ham. Is everything ok?

Rey looked up at her parents. "Sorry Papá. I have a lot on my mind."

Jyn started to clear off the table. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Looks like she needs to talk about it, whether or not she wants to."

"Cassian, don't pry."

Rey sighed, "It's fine. I just have a hearing tomorrow because of what happened yesterday."

Jyn paused holding a plate in midair. "About what happened at the laundromat? But I didn't think you did anything wrong."

Rey pushed her potatoes around her plate. "Well…."

"Well?"

"I did  _ kind  _ of go after the guy for a second. Before Kylo caught me."

Jyn quirked her eyebrow higher. "Kylo?"

Rey mentally facepalmed. She had said too much. Not only that, she'd referred to him by his first name. 

Sighing, she relented. She knew her mother wouldn't leave it alone anyway. "Brother Ren. I met him at the Gathering. He asked me to dance."

"So? How'd that go?"

"Mom, you know I can't dance. It's in my contract. I had to turn him down."

"So how did he end up catching you before you took out the other  _ hombre's _ teeth?" asked Cassian.

"Honestly, I have no idea. All I know is I was trying to get that  _ tonto _ to stop throwing my clothes on the floor, he wasn't listening, and the next thing I know, Brother Ren has the guy in a chokehold up against the washing machine. I had no idea he was even there."

"Your knight in shining armor, it seems." quipped Jyn.

"Only if that armor is black." Rey shot back. "He doesn't wear anything else. I honestly don't know how he makes it through half the year without dying of heat exhaustion."

"Clothing aside, it sounds like he's a good guy. Any person willing to jump in when injustice is happening is worthy of my  _ hija  _ in my opinion."

Rey let out an exasperated sigh. "Papá, you know I'm not ready to get married. I'm still teaching and I love it."

" _ Lo sé _ , M'ija.  _ Pero… _ you were at church, right? There's almost no way they're going to let you keep teaching because they're going to want to get you hitched to someone and working on making babies." Cassian picked up his mug. "You might as well try for someone good."

Huffing, Rey hung her head. "Yeah, except it sounds like I have no say in this anymore."

"But there's nothing saying maybe the men can't have some input. Maybe they can tell the Patriarch who they want and he'll pray about it. What's it going to hurt you to be friendly to him?"

"Papá, I can't be seen flirting or my contract is over."

"So don't get caught!"

"Cassian! Enough." Jyn patted Rey's shoulder. "Just do what feels right. You have good instincts."

“My instincts got me hauled in front of a tribunal.” 

____________________________________

The letter was sitting on her counter where she'd deposited it last night. It taunted her as she walked past it to deposit leftovers in her fridge. Shutting the battered door, she eyed it like a coiled snake. 

Hands on her hips, she glared at it. "I'm not going to open you, you know."

The letter didn't reply. 

"I mean it. No good will come of this. I don't care how good-looking he  _ thinks _ he is."

Silence seemed to weigh the air like a thick wet quilt.

Rey paced around the counter, determinately staring at the floor. The siren call of the letter fueled her curiosity. What could he have possibly wanted to say to her that he couldn't say in person? And why wasn't the letter handed to her directly instead of slipped into her laundry like a dirty little secret?

"I won't do it!"

She seized the letter and flung it across the room towards her fireplace. Unfortunately, the fire was not lit, not that it would have mattered. The carefully sealed envelope hooked and sailed across the small studio and landed squarely in the middle of her bed. 

It was as if Fate had spoken. She stomped across the room, muttering, "I have a bad feeling about this."

She stared at it, scrutinizing every inch without picking it up. With a sigh, she reached for it once more. "This is not a good idea, Rey Andor."

The envelope was smooth and crisp, the flap secured with wax. Rey had never seen a wax seal in person before, only heard about them in books. As she opened it, she muttered one last chastisement, "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

The handwriting was neat. Beautiful, even; a stark contrast to her usual quick, illegible scratches. Holding it as far away from herself as she could as if it was something smelly, she began to read.

_ Dear Sister Andor, _

_ I wanted to apologize for any offense I may have given you tonight.  _

Surprised, Rey brought the paper closer.

_ I don't know you or your circumstances, but I'd like to. From the little time we've interacted, I can see that you're different. _

Rey's eyebrows creased as she sank onto the bed, now holding the letter in both hands.

_ As you may have heard, I came from Ahch-To Ranch. I didn't have a lot of interactions with girls growing up, but those experiences I had didn't leave a good impression on me. They all seemed shallow and superficial, more focused on someone's looks and pretty words than the person within. So when I saw you see through Hux's facade, I was intrigued. I asked about you during the dance and was told you taught. And not only that you were the only female school teacher since the Plagues, but that you taught math and science. I found myself not being able to resist trying to talk to you. _

_ I still would like to get to know you. Maybe you can tell me just one of the long list of rules that you have to follow besides the ones you already told me.  _

_ Kylo Ren _

  1. _I know this is crossing a line in the rules for you, so if it makes you feel safer, you could come up with a nickname for yourself. Please write._



Dropping the letter in her lap, Rey vacillated between exasperation and incredulity. A small, unbidden thrill of hope shot through her. She read the letter through once more, then stuffed it into her nightstand drawer. "No, Rey. You can't write him back."

The same siren song from earlier seemed to hum from the open drawer. It repeated the words her father had spoken earlier:  _ What's it going to hurt? _

Everything. That's what it could hurt. 

She slammed the drawer shut, silencing the letter and thoughts of its author.

___________________

Kylo's Monday was filled with exams. The first few had to do with church history and doctrine.  _ Too easy _ . The next few were aptitude tests. One was even a physical test, complete with a timed run. Why they'd decided to conduct that one during the hottest part of the day, Kylo didn't know. Luckily, they'd finished in time for him to hurry home and freshen up before he was needed at the hearing. Even though he was confident about his case, it never hurt to look your best. 

He was on a bench outside the council chambers by 3:45. He watched the High Councilors walk in. Some greeted him, others ignored him. Patriarch Snoke shook his hand. 

At 3:55, Rey burst through the door, red-faced, sweaty and panting. "I got here as fast as I could after school!"

"Slow down, you have time. Take a seat. Here," he added, handing her a handkerchief, "Use this." He pointed to her hairline.

Dabbing her freckled face, she glanced down at the now damp and stained cloth and spotted the initials KBR embroidered on it. "Thank you." She started to hand it back.

"Keep it for now. I have another."

She nodded her thanks. "I'll get it back to you as soon as I can."

"So how's your head?"

Blinking, Rey stared in confusion. "My head?"

"Yeah, your head. I worked so hard to save it from the street."

"But I didn't… what are you even talking about?"

"Cauliflower."

"And that has to do with heads…?"

Kylo raised his eyebrows.

Wincing in realization, she gritted her teeth. "The cauliflower I bought on Saturday. That you tossed to Poe. I haven't eaten it yet."

"Why not?"

"Because I had  _ jamón  _ with my parents last night." She stopped as she realized her slip. "I mean ham."

Grinning mischievously, Kylo pounced on that tidbit of information. "So you speak Spanish?"

"My dad does and he taught me  _ un poquito _ ."

As Kylo leaned towards her to ask more, High Councilor Pryde walked in with Hux. The two had their heads together and were speaking quietly. They entered the chamber without so much as a glance. 

The door had barely swing shut when High Councilor Griss opened it and smiled kindly. "Brother Ren and Sister Andor, we're ready for you."

Kylo stood and gestured chivalrously towards the door. "Ladies first."

He watched her take a deep trembling breath, closing her eyes. When they opened, there seemed to be a fiery resolve behind them, and she strode inside, taking the chair furthest from Hux. 

Once everyone was seated, Pryde stood. "We are here today because of an incident in the laundromat on Saturday. Brother Hux claims he was attacked when he tried to use one of the washers that unbeknownst to him was already claimed by Sister Andor. We ask that no one speak out of turn, and to describe in as much detail as possible the true events that happened. High Councilors can ask questions at the end of each witness's testimony. Brother Hux, please give us your account."

The sallow man stood slowly. "Brethren. My name is Armitage Hux and I arrived in town on Friday with the rest of the future Elders. They told us that chores were to be done Saturday in preparation for this week of testing. I went into the laundromat and had barely opened one of the washers, when this shrieking  _ woman _ ran at me yelling about how they were her washers and to find another one. I tried to reason with her. She tried to take a swing at me, and then the next thing I knew, Ren here was choking me up against the machines and demanding that I apologize. I couldn't speak, let alone breathe, and I had no idea what more I needed to apologize for, but he kept choking me. He's always had it out for me, ever since I arrived at Ahch-To Ranch. And it was well known there that he has a terrible temper and is prone to violence; ask anyone! I'm sure even Luke Skywalker himself would condemn him."

Kylo audibly snorted.

Seeming to notice that he was beginning to rant, Hux steadied himself and continued, "What I am asking for is justice so that no one will have to suffer as I have from the hands of this man. I have also heard that this sister is a teacher and I hope for her students' sakes that she is not as vicious with them as she was with me. Thank you."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kylo saw that Rey's mouth had dropped open and her eyes were wide. Noticing his gaze, she slammed her mouth shut, nostrils flaring in anger. 

Pryde began the questioning. "So you say you had no idea she had claimed the washers."

"Correct"

"There was no name tag or any other identifying markers on them?"

"None whatsoever."

"What about the contents of the machines. Were her clothes already inside?"

"I hadn't the chance to look before I was assaulted."

"No further questions from me."

Patriarch Snoke looked up and down at his council. "Any further questions from others?"

Griss spoke up. "We are aware, of course, that Ahch-To Ranch is for troubled young men in need of reform. Can you tell us why you were there?"

Hux gulped, but stood with mock humility. "It is a matter of public record, but if you'll forgive me, I have no wish to bring up painful memories of my past sins. I have repented of them and don't want to be judged for that which I have been absolved of."

"You can be sure I'll be looking into that. No further questions from me."

Snoke shuffled papers in front of him and gazed over at Rey intently. "Sister Andor, your statement please."

Pryde cleared his throat. "Patriarch, do you really think it necessary for a woman to testify? This seems a clear case of misconduct."

"If I may, Patriarch?"

Snoke peered over his reading glasses. "Yes, Brother Ren?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it is in our procedural handbook that every person involved in a hearing gets a chance to testify, regardless of gender or age. As you said in yesterday's sermon, the more information you have, the better decisions you can make with the Lord's help."

Snoke chuckled. "Well done! Precisely. We will proceed with Sister Andor's testimony."

As Rey stood, Kylo noticed her demeanor shift back to proper. "I went to the laundromat as I usually do on Saturdays. It's my only time during the week when I have time, since, as you all know, I teach at the school. I went in with my basket, loaded my clothes into my usual two machines and put my nametag on them before going to buy the soap. When I came back, I found Brother… Hux? I found him throwing all my clothes into the dirty floor. I asked him what he was doing with them and he continued to throw them on the ground. Then he stole the detergent out of my hands. And all while this was going on, he was mocking me continuously. He insulted me in every way imaginable. I admit I wanted to hit him, but I didn't. Ky-- Brother Ren stepped in. He was defending me. After it was over, he even offered to watch my loads while I did the rest of my errands. I'm honestly shocked that I've been accused of anything unbecoming since I did nothing wrong. So…" Rey fidgeted with the end of her blouse. "That's what happened. What REALLY happened." she added as she cast a sidelong glare at Hux.

Pryde immediately pounced on the cross examination, "You claim you had your nametag on the washers."

"Yes."

"And your clothes were inside?"

"Yes."

"But this brother says he didn't see your nametag. Or your clothes. So why should we believe you over him?"

Rey blinked in surprise. "Because I'm telling the truth?"

"As you see it, perhaps. Did you yell at Brother Hux?"

"Well yes, but…"

"And you approached him while you were yelling?"

"Yes, but I had to get my…"

"No further questions."

Rey squeezed her hands into fists. "I promise you, I'm telling the truth. He's the one lying to…"

Patriarch Snoke spoke softly. "You may be seated, Sister Andor."

She had no choice but to sit back down. Her head hung in despair and she looked to be on the verge of tears. 

"Patriarch, we may want to consider whether Sister Andor is still fit for her duties as a teacher if she's capable of this kind of violence."

Snoke held up a hand. "High Councilor Pryde, we have not yet heard the full story. Brother Ren, may we hear from you?"

"Certainly." Kylo stood confidently. "I, too, came from Ahch-To Ranch, but I am not as squeamish as Hux to tell you my reason for being there. When I was young, I beat a fellow student in defense of another who was being bullied. My temper is something I struggle with to this day, but I am striving to be better and turning to the Lord to help with my weakness."

"On Saturday morning, I went with the rest of the Elders into town. I didn't need the laundromat, but I noticed a crowd gathering, so like any person, I went to see what was happening. That's when I heard shouting. I saw Hux throwing Sister Andor's clothes into the floor and at her. He was demeaning her. I had met her the night before at the Gathering and knew she was a teacher with strict rules. But I could also see that she was nearly to her breaking point. I stopped her before she could do anything that might jeopardize her position. I told her to let me handle it."

Pausing, he looked each of the High Councilors in the eye. "I jumped in because I saw injustice. I did choke him. I let my temper get the best of me and for that, I am truly sorry. But I am not sorry that I defended Sister Andor in her time of need. If anyone is to be punished for what happened, let it be me. She is innocent."

He turned to look at her. She was staring at him in shock, her mouth open again. There was something on her face that he couldn't quite pinpoint. Gratitude? Admiration? No matter. 

He turned back to the High Council. "What questions do you have for me?"

Even Pryde sat still and silent. Finally, a councilor Kylo didn't know roused himself. "Brother Ren, you corroborate her story that Brother Hux was insulting her. Did you also see him steal her soap?"

"Unfortunately, I did not."

"Did you see him throwing her clothes into the floor?"

"Just one item, but I did see others already on the floor."

"No further questions."

Snoke shuffled papers again. "Anyone else? No? Then let's proceed."

"Armitage Hux. I admonish you to speak and act a little kinder to those around you. When there is disagreement, seek first to understand and then to be understood. Only then can you conduct yourself properly."

"Rey Andor. The standards you agreed to when you became a teacher apply at all times, even during errands. Because you did not actually strike Brother Hux, you will only be given a formal reprimand. One more strike and you will be removed from your position, no matter how much my children sing your praises. Is that understood?"

While her head hung low, she still managed a firm "Yes, sir."

"Kylo Ren. While your intentions may have been noble, violence is still a sin against God. Go to Him in prayer and ask His forgiveness. Continue to progress in your mastery of your emotions. Seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged."

"Thank you all for being here. Brother Ren, if I could have a private word when everyone has gone?"

Kylo nodded. He once again looked over at Rey. She seemed about to cry, but was holding it in well. He wanted so badly to hold her and tell her that she would be all right, but now that he had seen how the rules she had warned him about had gotten her in trouble, he knew he couldn't risk making the situation worse. 

He settled for a small smile. She mouthed "thank you" at him before she filed out with the rest of the men. 

Snoke still sat where he had been during the hearing. He once more shuffled his papers and removed his glasses, pointing them at Kylo. "You are not who you claim to be."

Kylo stiffened. "Sir?"

Snoke chuckled. "Don't look so distressed, your secret is safe with me. I was rather surprised to see someone know the intimate details of some of the finer points of our history and be bold enough to write them down on an exam. So I checked with your former colony and they had no record of you before your sentence in Ahch-To. However, I did notice that all records of another boy simply vanish at the same time. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together, my boy."

Snoke templed his fingertips. "So tell me,  _ Kylo Ren _ . Why would someone of your standing not use all the advantages he could to gain a place of power?"

"I prefer to make it on my own merits rather than be given everything simply because of who my grandfather was. I want to see what my true calling is."

"And if your true calling is as the next in line to the leadership?"

"Then I will embrace it. But I would consider it a personal favor if you were to forget my identity when evaluating my skills."

Snoke scrutinized him for a while, fingertips tapping each other again and again. "If it is God's will that I treat you as any other man, then it will be done. I disagree with your method of being evaluated, but I will respect your choice should He desire that I do so."

"Thank you, sir."

"Dismissed."

_________________________

A/N Again, sorry for taking so long. I’m trying!

Hombre- man

Tonto- stupid [person]

Hija- daughter

Lo sé- I know that

Pero- But

Un poquito- a very little

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> A/N I got the idea for this story from a dream I had where my husband and I had to escape from a polygamous cult. There was lots of planning and trial and error involved and now I honestly can’t remember if we made it. I base a lot of my ideas of how things should look and feel on things I’ve read about the FLDS, but post-apocalyptic. More on that in future chapters.
> 
> I came up with the idea for the apocalypse to have been caused by disease well before I ever heard about the Corona virus, so it's just good timing.
> 
> In this story, Kylo Ren is about the same age as Rey, maybe slightly older, but there isn’t as much of an age gap here. 
> 
> Reviews would be appreciated!!
> 
> PS, check out my beta's work, Impossible Key, a Labyrinth story based in the late 1700s. It's amazing!!


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